Raymond F. Wagner K.C.

Raymond F. Wagner, K.C. is the founder and principal of Wagners. He has dedicated the majority of his 42 years of legal practice to representing injured plaintiffs. His practice has a primary focus on class actions, medical negligence with a special focus in birth trauma, and personal injury litigation. He obtained his law degree from Dalhousie Law School in 1979 and was called to the Bar of Nova Scotia in 1980.

Mr. Wagner is a compassionate advocate, known for his candor, civility and practical advice. He places value on timely and equitable resolutions and has achieved significant settlements for his clients. Mr. Wagner is known for litigating complex, technical and novel issues within his medical negligence and class action practice areas, and he has consistently strived to advance the law on behalf of injured plaintiffs who otherwise would have limited access to justice. He is an experienced trial lawyer repeatedly recognized by the peer review publications Lexpert and Best Lawyers. He is a recipient of the H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award and the Lorne Clarke QC Access to Justice Award.

Mr. Wagner has appeared before all levels of court including in Atlantic Canada. As well, he has appeared in courts in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and at the Federal Court and Supreme Court of Canada.

Mr. Wagner routinely presents to members of the CBA (NS and ON), the Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association (APTLA), the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA), the American Association for Justice (AAJ), Le Barreau du Quebec, Osgoode Class Action Symposium and other associations and conferences. Mr. Wagner has participated as an active member of the Nova Scotia Statutory Costs and Fees Committee, the NSBS Rules Committee, a Contingency Fee Agreement subcommittee and the Nova Scotia Bar and Bench Civil Procedure Rules Committee. He organized and addressed the first Nova Scotia Barristers Society Class Action Conference. Mr. Wagner was one of the founders of APTLA and its first President, and was also first Chairman of the Canadian Caucus of the AAJ.

In 2015, Mr. Wagner was one of five finalists for the Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year Award across North America for his representation of clients in Elwin et al. v. Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children et al., a class action concerning historic institutional abuse with a resolution based on restorative justice principles and providing a multi-million-dollar settlement to class members.

In 2021, Mr. Wagner was internationally recognized for his work as a passionate advocate and trial lawyer with his induction as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

In addition to seeking compensation for victims, he employs restorative justice techniques in advancing beneficial societal interest. Many of his cases have also improved the quality of life and the general safety of individuals for the future wellbeing of society.

Bar Admissions

• Nova Scotia, February 1980

Professional Memberships

• Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
• Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association
• Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
• Canadian Bar Association
• American Association for Justice / Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Canadian Caucus of the American Association of Justice
• Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers